Au Lac
104 Kingsland Road,  E2 8DP
Telephone: 020 7033 0588
 
Location Map of Au Lac
 
One of a small number of London’s ethnic restaurants to have a branch in its native country, Au Lac is a large Vietnamese eatery a few minutes walk off the main strip of Old Street’s nightlife. The menu is suitably exotic, with plenty of richly-flavoured Vietnamese seafood, alongside the Oriental restaurant standards.

Bahn Quon steamed rolls were irresistibly light and tasty and arrived in a pile large enough to make a meal on their own. Char-grilled monkfish was a great seafood variation on the duck pancakes so familiar from Chinatown, with crisp, thin Bahn Quon pancakes. Our waiter failed to warn us when we accidentally ordered a traditional Vietnamese crab dish and was unable to explain to us how to get into it using only chopsticks, but the bits we could get at were rich with spicy aromas that perfectly complemented the salty, succulent crab.

Prices are as low as the portions are huge, yet the restaurant was completely empty on a Thursday evening, with only two others dining in a space that could comfortably have seated 40. The reason is glaringly obvious, in an unappealing décor and a set of too-bright lights that create an atmosphere as intimate as McDonalds, but rather less cheery.

This is a more than decent restaurant, which is excellent value, but it will have to seriously redecorate if it is to attract the limited passing trade on the Kingsland Road.
 
 
Alternative South East Asian Cuisine Near Au Lac
 
 
London Restaurants
Song Que
134 Kingsland Road, Hackney,  London,  E2
3 minutes distance from Au Lac
One of the best Vietnamese in town and also one of the cheapest, this hugely popular place offers over 150 dishes, all excellent. It’s in ...More...
 
London Restaurants
Wagamama
1 Ropemaker Street, The City,  London,  EC2Y
20 minutes distance from Au Lac
Taking inspiration from Japanese ramman-noodle bars, Wagamama is the ultimate in high-quality, fast food. Huge bowls of steaming, soupy noodles, chicken dumplings with a chilli-soy ...More...
 
 
Local Restaurants Near Au Lac
 
 
London Restaurants
The Grocery Cafe
54-56 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch,  E2
1 minutes distance from Au Lac
This Shoreditch cafe on Kingsland Road is a great spot for the full English. You can breakfast on poached eggs, cooked tomatoes and succulent sausages ...More...
 
London Restaurants
Shish Hoxton
313-319 Old Street, Hoxton,  London,  EC1V
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
Opening a 'Turkish brasserie' on Old Street among the scores of established take-aways is a bold move by Shish, the original branch of which is ...More...
 
 
Local Hotels Near Au Lac
 
 
London Hotels
Crowne Plaza London Shoreditch
100 Shoreditch High Street, London,  E1
6 minutes distance from Au Lac
Shoreditch is a great spot for going out with Old Street a hive of late night activity. It also happens to be next to the ...More...
 
London Hotels
Express by Holiday Inn London City
275 Old Street London,  EC1V
7 minutes distance from Au Lac
Modern and functional, you get what you pay for at this middle ranking hotel close to the City and the reasonable rates mean that it ...More...
 
 
Local Event Near Au Lac
 
 
London Event
Future Map
20 Hoxton Square, 20 Hoxton Square,  N1
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
The annual Future Map exhibition, now in its twelfth year, is a showcase of the best emerging talent from graduates of the University of the ...More...
 
London Event
Tree Decorations Workshop
The Making Space, 10 Sunbury Workshops, Swanfield Street,  E2
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
Learn how to make your own glass baubles this Christmas at The Making Space where they're running a special Tree Decorations Workshop. Simon, a prop ...More...
 
 
Local Sights and Attractions Near Au Lac
 
 
London Sights and Attractions
Limoncello
15a Cremer Street, Hoxton,  London,  E2
2 minutes distance from Au Lac
This cutting edge contemporary art gallery is run by director Rebecca May Marston, a graduate of the RCA's curating course who first took on the ...More...
 
London Sights and Attractions
Geffrye Museum
136 Kingsland Road, Hackney,  London,  E2
4 minutes distance from Au Lac
There aren't many museums that can have William Morris and Ikea under the same roof, but the Geffyre is one of them. The focus of ...More...
 
 
Local Shopping Near Au Lac
 
 
London Shopping
Food Hall
374-378 Old Street, Shoreditch,  London,  EC1V
4 minutes distance from Au Lac
A well known deli among the foodies of Shoreditch, this specialist food shop is perfect for those who like a bit of a treat. Close ...More...
 
London Shopping
Leila's
17 Calvert Avenue, Shoreditch,  London,  E2
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
Leila's on Arnold Circus is a legendary coffee spot where they serve Monmouth coffee in an eccentric cafe setting that feels like you're in your ...More...
 
 
Local Education Near Au Lac
 
 
London Education
The Making Space
10 Sunbury Workshops, Swanfield Street, Shoreditch,  London,  E2
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
Learn some crafty manouveurs at Making Space where classes on mask making, glass engraving, pyrography (burning patterns into wood or leather), chainmail knitting, and book ...More...
 
London Education
Shaker Cocktail Classes
Holywell Centre,  1 Phipp Street, Shoreditch,  London,  EC2A
10 minutes distance from Au Lac
There's a real art to making cocktails. Don't be fooled into thinking it's all about shaking vigorously and pouring because, to be a proper cocktail ...More...
 
 
Local Leisure Near Au Lac
 
 
London Leisure
The Circus Space
Coronet Street, Hoxton,  London,  N1
6 minutes distance from Au Lac
Fantastic education in the complete selection of circus arts, including a degree in circus performance and an affordable six-week clowning course. They also present regular ...More...
 
London Leisure
All Star Lanes, Brick Lane
95 Brick Lane, Shoreditch,  London,  E1
14 minutes distance from Au Lac
The third of these increasingly popular 1950s retro-America style bowling alleys opened in late 2008 to much critical acclaim. Located in the Old Truman Brewery ...More...
 
 
Local Pubs Near Au Lac
 
 
London Pubs
Bar Kick
127 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch,  London,  E1
5 minutes distance from Au Lac
Fashionable Shoreditch drinkers are attracted to this cellar bar by its rickety old furniture, interesting imported beers, and a pricy, but very tasty selection of ...More...
 
London Pubs
Strongrooms
120 Curtain Road, Shoreditch,  London,  EC2A
6 minutes distance from Au Lac
Since opening in 2000 - in the midst of Shoreditch’s sea of pubs and clubs - this venue has been an unhurried but consistent success ...More...
 
 
Local Nightlife Near Au Lac
 
 
London Nightlife
Cargo
83 Rivington Street, Kingsland Viaduct, Shoreditch,  London,  EC2A
6 minutes distance from Au Lac
Cargo were pioneers of the multi-tasking MDF concept (that's Music-Dance-Food, not cheap fibreboard) and boast one of the most imaginative live music line-ups in the ...More...
 
London Nightlife
Plastic People
147 - 149 Curtain Road, Shoreditch,  London,  EC2A
6 minutes distance from Au Lac
Plastic People boasts the best sound system in Shoreditch. This friendly, unpretentious space serves up seriously fresh music to a loyal crowd. Their no-frills ...More...
 
 
Local Business Near Au Lac
 
 
London Business
First Option Studio
11 Perseverance Works, 38 Kingsland Road,  E2
2 minutes distance from Au Lac
...More...
 
London Business
Dreambagjaguarshoes
34 - 36 Kingsland Road, Hoxton,  London,  E2
2 minutes distance from Au Lac
...More...